Best baby toys from newborn to 12 months: tested by parents

Who would have thought that eggs could be so much fun? TOMY’s Hide and Squeak Eggs are a huge hit with babies and toddlers, and come recommended by lots of parents thanks to the bright colours, fun expressions, and different ways you can play with them.

Younger babies from six months can have fun holding them, taking the eggs out of the shell and exploring the different colours. As they get a bit older, the toy also works as a shape sorter with each egg having a different shape on the bottom that slots into its own unique spot in the egg carton, boosting your child's developing problem-solving skills. 

For an extra bit of fun, when you press each egg you hear a cheerful cheeping sound that babies absolutely love. This is a toy that can be enjoyed from six months up to three years - an egg-cellent (sorry!) in addition to your child’s toy box.

Our tester Laura says, “My daughter is almost two years old and the Hide and Squeak Eggs are still one of her favourite toys to play with - we bought them for her when she was around nine months old. She particularly likes colour-matching the faces on the eggshells with egg colour.”

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The Bright Starts OBall is one of those cool baby toys that both babies and toddlers love. It’s a simple concept - a flexible and soft ball with holes in it. However, the high contrast bright colours and easy-to-grab shape make it the ideal toy for infants.

As your new baby grows, they will enjoy using the OBall as a teether and a fun shape to wrap their mouth around. It can also be rolled, chased and thrown. When squeezed, it has just enough flex to be satisfying and is robust enough to provide years of fun.

“This was a great toy that both my children enjoyed, especially when my son could sit up as he loved to roll the ball away and reach for it which was great for helping him develop his hand-eye coordination,” says our tester, Gemma.

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Freddie The Firefly is a popular toy for keeping babies entertained whether at home or out in the pushchair. The colourful cuddly toy is made from soft velour material so babies can squeeze and cuddle it, with different textures and sounds to aid sensory development.

Each part of Freddie’s body is made from a different coloured and patterned fabric with extra features for your baby to explore, such as a mirror to look at themselves, crinkly wings and a squeaker. There’s also a teether for them to bite and chew on which is kept in a little pocket and a clip on Freddie’s head to attach him to your buggy.

Two rings hang off the bottom so your baby has something to reach for when you’re out and about which helps develop fine motor skills. The toy also encourages tactile stimulation to help babies learn through their hands and mouths. 

It’s a toy that can be squeezed and cuddled from birth but still has plenty to offer as your baby grows up. Our tester Laura says, “Freddie was a big hit with my daughter from birth, especially due to his bright colours and crinkly wings. While she’s less interested in this toy now that she's a toddler, it was used everyday, particularly on stroller walks, for almost a year.” 

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While tummy time is important for helping to strengthen your baby's muscles, not all babies are fans of it and may quickly start to cry, becoming irritable and tired. You can make tummy time more comfortable and engaging by giving your baby something fun to roll on and look at, like this Tummy Time Roll from Mamas & Papas.

The soft, tube-shaped design is perfect for helping your baby prop themselves up on their arms, promoting shoulder and neck strength. It features engaging sounds and textures, including crinkles, squeaks and rattles, as well as a side mirror to capture your baby's attention.

Even babies who aren’t fond of tummy time will be tempted to push themselves up to see and explore the soft toys on the pillow. With an RRP of £30, we think it’s great value, especially since you can also use the pillow to help prop your baby up when practicing sitting.

Sophie La Girafe is an award-winning classic that has been loved by babies and parents for decades. A cross between a squeaky toy and a teether, Sophie is crafted from natural rubber that has been sourced from the Hevea tree and has soothing properties for teething babies (don’t forget, when those first pearly whites finally appear, it'll be time to invest in a good baby toothbrush too).

Sophie’s smiley face is adorable, and her high-contrast spotted pattern is great for eyes that haven’t yet developed fully. She is soft to the touch and easy to grab. In addition, when squeezed gently, she makes a gentle bleat which helps with hand-eye coordination and teaches action and reward principles.

Our tester Gemma says, “My daughter loved squeezing Sophie and playing with her and moving the toy from hand to hand. Most of all, she enjoyed chewing on Sophie’s head, legs and arms, which helped when she was teething, especially when it was particularly bad.”

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With music, lights, colours and animals, this musical toy by Baby Einstein has been designed to make tummy time more fun and keep babies engaged for longer. The toy bar lies flat on the ground so that babies are encouraged to lie on their tummy and lift up their neck.

The bar lights up by touching the coloured buttons or spinning the rattle so babies can get plenty of sensory stimulation. There are three sound modes - animals, colours and xylophone - so that your baby can learn as they play. It also has a stand to prop up the bar for when your baby can sit up. For this reason, the toy bar can grow with your child so it will still get plenty of play when they are moving around. 

Thanks to the noises and colours, the Glow & Discover Light Bar is a toy that promotes learning through sensory play and also encourages fine and gross motor skills, such as hand-eye coordination, and building up strength for moving around.

Read next: Best tummy time toys

The Bright Starts 5-in-1 Your Way Ball Play Activity Gym and Ball Pit is a toy that has been designed with versatility in mind, offering different options as your child grows. It offers a comfortable and fun place to play when your baby is small, with five different options, including a ball pit (with 40 balls), for when your baby moves into toddlerhood. 

Younger babies can lie on the 48-inch play mat during tummy time or play with the seven hanging toys, which include an elephant music player, crinkle toy, mirror, flashcards, hanging leaf toy and bead rattle. The mat even has adjustable walls so you can be sure your baby stays safe during playtime. Turn on the elephant and it will entertain your baby with over 20 minutes of melodies. 

Toys like this encourage babies to develop their motor skills as they reach and grab for toys as well as aiding physical development through tummy time play. Although it can be washed, one reviewer did say the mat shrank when machine-washed.

Newborn development toys should have a range of textures, and these clever Infantino textured balls are perfect for small hands and mouths to explore. They are excellent value, and babies will love to squish, throw and roll them.

The six balls have come with textures that are interesting to feel and easy for small hands to hold, and make a squeaking sound when squeezed. The different shape, size and textures help babies learn about spatial awareness, improve their hand-eye coordination as well as colour and shape recognition.

In addition, they are useful teethers. To keep them hygienic, wash them in hot, soapy water – just make sure they are dried carefully so they don’t go mouldy.

Our parent tester Laura says, “This ball set was one of my toddler’s favourite toys, especially around the six-month mark. The different textures and sizes are really appealing to little ones, and the balls are an excellent way to practise throwing when they get a bit older too.”

Hailed as one of the most beloved Disney characters for babies and toddlers, the Stitch Musical Plush is a cuddly and entertaining toy destined to become your child's best friend. This soft plush toy is ideal for snuggling, making it a comforting companion. Beyond cuddles, Baby Stitch offers interactive fun with features that both soothe and engage your baby.

With a simple touch of its foot, Baby Stitch plays age-appropriate songs and nursery rhymes, providing a musical experience that babies will love. While it doesn’t offer as many educational songs as the Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Smart Stages Puppy (another popular musical soft toy), it still holds its own as a source of delightful entertainment. Plus, Stitch is trending with children of all ages right now due the 2025 release of the live-action Lilo & Stitch film. The removable pineapple rattle adds an extra layer of play, ensuring plenty of variety to keep babies engaged.

Designed with sensory exploration in mind, Baby Stitch boasts textured, crinkly ears for tactile stimulation and a cute squeaker on the tail for auditory fun. Its soft, large design also doubles as a cushion for tummy time, encouraging babies to lie down and strengthen their muscles.

It’s likely that even if you don’t have a Ewan The Dream Sheep, you’ve heard of it. A cuddly toy which works as a sleep aid and a calming night light, Ewan has helped many babies (and parents) get a better night’s sleep. 

The toy plays soothing white and pink noise, including a womb sound to help calm your baby at bedtime and lull them into sleep. Other sounds include rainfall, a vacuum cleaner and a harp melody which are all combined with the sound of a parent’s resting heartbeat to help replicate the comfort of the womb. Combined with the soft pink night light, it can help calm restless babies. He can even be taken out in the pram or car for soothing on the go.

Some users find the 20-minute timer is too short but this could be a small price to pay for a good night’s sleep.

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It’s never too early to start reading to your baby. Even as a newborn nestled in your arms, story time can be a lovely bonding experience for you and your child. The Meg and Mog series of books have been around for years, and they are a great introduction to books for babies and toddlers, helping them to develop vital language skills.

Author Helen Nicoll has a special way of mixing everyday objects, animals and insects into her stories, making Meg and Mog magical and easy for little ones to relate to. Babies and toddlers enjoy spotting familiar things like eggs, milk and jam in Meg’s cauldron, which makes the story playful and exciting. This special 50th-anniversary edition of Meg and Mog is full of humour and charm as one of Meg’s spells goes hilariously wrong at a Halloween party.

The story is told simply and clearly, with big, descriptive text and colourful pictures over 28 pages. The bright illustrations encourage babies to look at the pages and point out different things. The combination of fun words and eye-catching images makes this book ideal for little readers.

If your child loves Meg and Mog, there’s more to enjoy! The Complete Collection: Meg and Mog Magical Adventures has even more stories about their adventures. One Mumsnetter, onemouseplace, says, "Meg's Eggs, Meg's Castle, Meg at Sea, Meg's Car, and Meg at the Zoo are all brilliant."

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The Fisher-Price Jumperoo has been a firm favourite with babies and parents since Fisher-Price first released it in 2004 and has been awarded the best overall jumperoo on our best jumperoos buyer's guide. It has so many features that will keep babies entertained while also helping them develop key skills - love that the seat spins through 360 degrees so that your baby can reach all the different toys. As they bounce and move around they’ll be advancing their gross motor skills too, making this great for sensory play.

The toys on the Jumperoo include spinners, clickers, a mirror and a bead bar which all help babies learn about cause and effect, develop their fine motor skills, and stimulate their senses. It’s incredibly safe too, thanks to the sturdy steel frame and soft spring covers to keep little fingers safe. The seat pad is also machine-washable and can be popped in the washing machine and tumble dryer, so any little accidents can be sorted out quickly and easily.

“Be warned this is not a small toy,” says our tester, Gemma. “However, if you have the space for it, you won’t regret it. Both of my babies had lots of fun jumping up and down in the jumperoo and spinning round in the seat to play with the different toys.”

They might seem simple, but stacking cups are one of the best baby toys when it comes to development. They help build fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination as babies turn them in their hands and try to build their own towers. They also help to teach cause and effect as your baby knocks down towers you build for them, and gross motor skills as they reach for the fallen cups. Your baby will later learn how to stack them themselves.

These stacking cups from MTS also help with early colour and number recognition and are a good size for little hands. As your baby grows, stacking cups are sure to stay a favourite, with many toddlers and older children enjoying them, especially in the bath.

Although a baby at six months old most likely won't be at the first-steps stage yet, learning to walk is a huge milestone from approximately nine or 10 months onwards, and the VTech Baby Walker is the ideal aid. For babies closer to six months, the activity panel on the front can be removed and played with on the floor, making for a brilliant interactive toy before they pull up to stand.

It has a shape sorter, gears to turn, animal buttons and a toy phone for endless fun. As your baby gets older and starts to pull themselves up, the baby walker provides support to help them strengthen, balance and prepare for the taking of those first wobbly steps. The interactive fun also appeals to toddlers far older than those learning to walk too - meaning you could be getting years' worth of fun for under £50.

Toy watering cans are always one of the best bath toys, providing hours of entertainment from the simple action of scooping water, tipping the can and watching it sprinkle back out.

Suitable for babies aged six months and above, the Nuby Fun Watering Can has a bright and engaging design with an easy-grip handle that’s perfectly sized for little ones to hold. 

Enhancing their sensory development, the Nuby Watering Can helps build hand-eye coordination and teaches children about cause and effect as they watch the bubbles wash off their skin by tipping or tilting the can. In the warmer months, it will make a brilliant addition to the paddling pool too.

If your child is at crawling age, from around seven months, the VTech Crawl and Learn Bright Lights Ball will provide plenty of fun as they get on the move. If your baby is reluctant to start crawling, the ball rolls around to gently encourage them to move.

The ball has lots of fun features, such as bright colours and lights, to capture your baby’s attention, and big buttons that can be easily pressed by small hands to help them learn about numbers, animals and more. Not only has it been designed to help babies start crawling, but as they learn to reach out and push the toy along the floor, press the buttons and slide the turtle, it helps babies to develop fine motor skills as well as introducing cause and effect. 

During playtime, babies can also listen to the 12 melodies and four sing-along songs that are sung by the animals: the dog, cat, bear and rabbit. Be warned though, users say it doesn’t roll easily on carpeted floors.

If you want a break from the usual plastic toys, this rainbow stacking toy makes a gorgeous fun and educational toy for babies. Shape stacking toys like this one from Jaques of London help babies develop problem-solving skills.

While at first your baby may simply enjoy looking at the colourful crescent arches of the rainbow and exploring them with their hands, this is a toy that can be played with again and again as they get older and work out how to stack the different shaped arches to make the rainbow. Stacking the crescents together helps them to develop fine motor skills, as well as resilience as they keep trying to balance them and put them in the correct order. Stacking toys also help children develop logic and reasoning skills.

A gorgeous wooden toy that will look lovely stored around your home, this is a great option for babies, and will no doubt be played with for months and even years after.

The Manhattan Toy Skwish is as unique and intriguing as its name! It’s suitable from birth, and babies of all ages will be drawn to its lovely bright colours and interesting shape. It's small enough for them to grasp, helping them to develop their motor skills, and bright and tactile enough to hold their attention.

Babies from the age of six to 12 months will love turning this toy in their hands and exploring the beads that gently rattle and slide along the wooden dowels. It's also one of the best teething toys for babies as well.

Made from soft materials that crinkle when touched, the Jellycat Jungly Tails Book is very popular with babies. With colourful animal illustrations and tails that stick out of the pages for children to touch and squeeze, the book provides lots of fun and learning through sensory play.

The book can be enjoyed by babies as they begin reaching and grabbing for things and older babies will enjoy finding out which tail the animals belong to. 

We like that there is a Velcro loop for attaching to your pram or infant car seat so your baby can be entertained while on the go. Unfortunately, it can’t be machine-washed which isn’t ideal when it’s likely to end up in your baby’s mouth.

Our parent tester Laura says, “The Jellycat Jungly Tails book is such a fun sensory toy for newborns and beyond. My daughter loved the bright colours and different textures for each tail. We regularly clipped it onto the buggy for outings, and it was the ideal stimulating read when she was small.”

With Montessori-inspired designs and STEAM-focused content, Baby Einstein creates high-quality products designed to inspire curiosity, build confidence, and adapt to your child’s growing skills and interests. The Baby Einstein Hape Magic Touch Piano is a semi-wooden toy that allows children to explore musical creation. Equipped with a keyboard featuring magic touch technology, this piano plays six popular melodies, including lullabies and nursery rhymes, at the touch of a button.

The toy includes two instrument sounds (piano and xylophone) and two animal voices (dog and cat), providing variety to engage young children. With five bright buttons, children can easily switch between sounds, helping them understand cause and effect. On successful playing of the included music cards, the rest of the tune is automatically played, and the piano even applauds your little one’s efforts!

The music cards are durable, wipeable, and designed for long-lasting use. It offers good value for money, is a convenient size, easy to play, and is a great choice for a baby’s first instrument. However, some parents find that it's not an ideal shape for babies who like to play with toys while standing up, unless it's placed on an activity table.